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Unconventional Vehicles Working Group Presentation for AAMVA Webinar January 22, 2014
September 17, 2018
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Presenters
Mark Francis - working group chair
Manager of Vehicle Registration and Licensing
British Columbia
Paul Nilsen - working group member
Assistant General Counsel
Wisconsin Dept of Transportation
Douglas Hooper - working group member
Policy and Planning Specialist
Georgia Dept of Revenue.
September 17, 2018
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3. Unconventional Vehicles Working Group Background
Authorized in 2006
Chartered as a permanent working group
Members:
Mark Francis (BC), Chair Denis Boissonault (AB)
Harold Blaney (QC) Heather Gorman (NB)
Scott Clapper (DE) Casey Garber (MO)
Douglas Hooper (GA) Eric Alsvan (PA)
Paul Nilsen (WI) Shelly Mellott (TX)
Rob Termuende (BC)
Cathie Curtis, AAMVA staff liaison
The mandate of the working group is to review the problems with the variety of unconventional vehicles that motor vehicle administrators and law enforcement officers continue to encounter. Such reviews will include identification and development of strategies/policies/best practices to help member jurisdictions in dealing with these types of vehicles in a uniform and consistent manner.
September 17, 2018
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4. Working Group Past Initiatives
Pocket Bikes and Scooters
Mini trucks – right hand drive
One of the first piece of work that the group completed was a review and recommendations with respect to pocket bikes and scooters, which emerged into a significant concern for jurisdictions in Emphasized the concern about visibility for the pocket bikes – injury and fatality concerns/risks.
Propose to add two additional slides following this one:
Motorcycles – Best Practices for Title and Registration of New Motorcycles and bullets summarizing the content of the document. Also refer to Canadian Underwriter Article of July 27/12 – Pocket bike is not an automobile for insurance purposes: Financial Services Commission of Ontario
Minitrucks – Best Practices Regarding Registration and Titling of Mini-trucks and bullets summarizing the content of the document.
September 17, 2018
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5. Working Group Recent Initiatives
Non-Compliant Vehicles:
Rebuilt, Specially Constructed
Reconstructed, and Replica vehicles.
Two initiatives under way for the working group that I’ll now describe in further details.
September 17, 2018
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6. Non-Compliant Vehicle Survey
Survey Distributed Earlier this year.
Data is update to include
REBUILT
Previously titled/registered vehicle rebuilt to original design by replacing major component parts with like make and model parts. May have been written off (junked) by an insurance company.
In BC, categorized as “rebuilt” or “Amalgamated”.
RECONSTRUCTED
Previously titled/registered vehicle materially altered by the removal, addition or substitution of essential parts, new or used, derived from other vehicles or makes of vehicles. May not resemble specific manufacturer make or model
In BC, categorized as “modified”
SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED
New vehicle constructed from homemade parts, new or used parts from other vehicles, and may include a manufacturer's kit.
Does not resemble a specific manufacturer make or model
Category may include ubilt, replicar, replikit etc.
REBODIED
New vehicle assembled with new major components licensed by the original manufacturer and other original, new or reconditioned parts.
Usually resembles a specific manufacture make/mode; for example, brand new steel bodied replica 1932 Ford
September 17, 2018
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7. Status – Non-Compliant Vehicles
Broken into 2 parts
Part 1
Best Practices for Rebuilt and Specially Constructed Vehicles
Completed September 2012
Part 2
Prepare Best Practices for Reconstructed and Replica vehicles.
Completed December 2013
September 17, 2018
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8. Non-Compliant Vehicles – Feedback and Discussions
Draft Best Practice presented at Region IV and AIC
Received feedback from many jurisdictions including South Carolina, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin, Manitoba
Also AAMVA staff and industry reps (i.e. NSVRP, SEMA)
Feedback summarized by the following themes:
Definitions and structure
Procedural and enforcement
Discuss the deliberations we have had and how seriously we take the feedback, discussing each comment and point.
Most recent discussions centered on feedback from NSVRP in terms of limiting parts to be used from non-repairable vehicles – concluded that limits should only relate to condition of parts. Restricted VIN bearing components from stolen vehicles only. Practicality for jurisdictions and burdensome for parts recyclers.
September 17, 2018
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9. AAMVA Official Use Only
Executive Summary
Guiding Principles
Summary areas
Branding statement
Guiding principles are:
Ensuring the safety of vehicle occupants, pedestrians and other road users,
Promoting consumer protection, and
Facilitating consistent registration and titling practices – for jurisdictional benefit
Summary areas include:
Inspection requirements
VIN requirements
Vehicle modification reporting requirements
Titling and registration conventions, including: brand, year, make and model
Proof of ownership requirement and document retention practices
Again, we also are advocating for consistent branding practices to be developed but that is outside the scope and mandate of this group.
September 17, 2018
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So, as administrators we are continually trying to support progress in terms of reducing crashes, serious injuries and fatalities, while at the same time trying to promote consumer protection.
Supporting and promoting vehicle safety standards goes a long way to achieving the objective of reduced crashes, injuries and fatalities. We are proposing that the Unconventional Working Group develop a titling/registration best practices document targeting constructed vehicles and those brought into US/Canada that do not display federal compliance labels. The concept originally focused on homemade/ubuilt vehicles but during our deliberations we agreed that we would like to try and maximize the benefit for members and the AAMVA Community, and we talked about a potential broader application. As these same safety concerns exist for vehicles being presented for titling/registration from other countries, it seemed logical to extend the scope of the work to include that segment.
September 17, 2018
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11. “Reconstructed” Vehicle Best Practice: 1. Identify 2. Inspect 3. Record

12. Reconstructed Vehicle Definition “Reconstructed Vehicle” means a motor vehicle that has been permanently altered from its original construction by removing, adding, or substituting major component parts. It does not include vehicles that have been rebuilt to OEM nor does it include a Specially Constructed Vehicle.
Paul Nilsen, Assistant General Counsel for Wis Dept Transportation, including Division of Motor Vehicles.

13. “Reconstructed” is not “Rebuilt”
Looks the same
Was damaged and unusable
Major component parts the same
Must be OEM
May have been declared a total loss by an insurance company and branded salvage
Looks different
Damage irrelevant
Different types of major component parts
Excludes OEM rebuilds
September 17, 2018
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14. AAMVA Official Use Only
Reconstructed?
September 17, 2018
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15. Lift Kits = Reconstructed
49 CFR 581, FMVSS s581, requires bumpers provide protection inches above the ground. Lift kits that cause bumper to exceed 22 inches in height does not provide this protection.
1999 Ford Mustang down a county road when she was struck by a Dodge Ram 2500 truck after the truck driver ran a stop sign. The truck was equipped with a five-inch “lift kit” and 37- inch over sized tires that raised the vehicle’s front bumper 9-10 inches higher than the truck’s stock configuration.
When the truck struck the car, the bumper “overrode” the hood and driver’s side door resulting in the intrusion of the bumper into the passenger compartment as shown below. Mustang driver’s head struck steel bumper as her head was coming forward causing permanent brain injury but she survived
Manufacturers of these lift kits are protected by a powerful lobbying organization, the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA). Although a few states have imposed strict bumper height requirements, most do not.
September 17, 2018
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Inspection Process:
Engineer licensed in jurisdiction
Inspects major component parts
Verifies mechanical fitness
Documents inspection
September 17, 2018
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Record facts:
Require official ownership documents for the vehicle and any replacement VIN-bearing parts
Collect and record VINs on VIN-bearing parts, as well as brands applied
Require and maintain on file bills of sale, receipts for major component parts
Ensure VINs on replacement parts are not connected with stolen vehicles
Year, make, model—use primary vehicle
Brand “reconstructed”, or so indicate on the vehicle registration document
Retain engineer’s inspection report
Designate on the registration and/or title that an engineer’s report is on file
Carry forward any brands assigned by previous jurisdictions
Turning to best practices for reconstructed vehicles
September 17, 2018
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18. Reconstructed Vehicles Best Practice Summary:
IDENTIFY:
Owner identifies at initial titling or registration
Ongoing duty to report reconstruction
Vehicle appearance or performance changed with major component parts
INSPECT:
Licensed engineer
Identify changes
Verify mechanical fitness & document inspection
RECORD:
Keep receipts, ownership records, verify nothing stolen
Keep inspection report & indicate on documents
Brand “reconstructed” & carry all brands forward
September 17, 2018
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19. Replica Vehicle Definition
A “replica vehicle” means a new vehicle assembled with major component parts built to resemble a specific manufacturer’s make and model that is at least 25 years old. Constructed with major component parts licensed by the original manufacturer or other original, new or reconditioned parts. A.K.A. rebodied vehicles.

20. Replica Vehicle Definition
Porsche
Roadster
Mustang Cobra
Convertible coupe

21. Titling Replica Vehicles
Ensure VINs are not connected with stolen vehicles.

22. Titling Replica Vehicles
Require inspection based upon scope of public road use:
Limited use – mechanical safety inspection
Unlimited use – in addition, certification by engineer.

23. Titling Replica Vehicles
Require official ownership documents to be presented prior to re-titling. Where official documents are not available, the owner shall legally validate ownership in accordance with the jurisdiction’s practices.

24. Titling Replica Vehicles
Require and maintain on file, the bills of sale, receipts or other proof of ownership for major component parts that have been replaced.

25. Titling Replica Vehicles
Year, make and model the vehicle resembles, if branded as a replica. If replica brand cannot be used, reflect replica in ‘model’ field.
If no primary VIN, then the jurisdiction should assign a VIN in accordance with established procedures.

26. Titling Replica Vehicles
Designate on the registration and/or title if an engineer’s report is on file.
Establish a procedure requiring the owner certify the limited use (i.e. shows, parades) for exemption from engineering cert.

27. Titling Replica Vehicles
Upon issuance of ownership documents, carry forward any brands assigned by previous jurisdictions.
Replica
Rebuilt
Assembled

28. AAMVA Official Use Only
Replica .
September 17, 2018
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29. Emerging or Existing Issues
September 17, 2018
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30. Flood Damaged Vehicles
“Hurricane Sandy”, October 29, 2012
Flood damage vehicles present a special problem because the damage may not be obvious, and the damage usually affects large numbers of vehicles.
These are photos of vehicles damaged by Hurricane Sandy, like Katrina 2005
September 17, 2018
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31. AAMVA Official Use Only
E Bike
Toronto police charge woman for driving an e-bike while over the legal blood alcohol limit
Supreme Court of BC handed down a decision on July 12, 2012 which confirmed that if the pedals are removed, this vehicle would no longer be an exempt (from Registration, Licensing and Insurance)
Remains an issue
September 17, 2018
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32. AAMVA Official Use Only
Glider Kits
An example of a Freightliner glider kit
First – what is a glider kit? A glider kit is a heavy-duty diesel vehicle that has undergone significant modifications. A glider kit usually includes a new cab and dashboard assembly, a new front axle, front wheels and frame. The transmission and rear axle are “donated” from the original vehicle. A remanufactured engine may be used, but it must be the same or newer year than the engine that is removed from the original vehicle. The glider kit usually has a new VIN, provided by the glider kit manufacturer, and the original vehicle’s VIN is retired. This causes the glider kit to be registered as a new vehicle, with the model year being the year the glider was completed. For most glider kit manufacturers, the fourth or fifth digit within the new VIN permanently identifies the vehicle as a glider. (Freightliner and Western Star gliders are identified with an X in the fourth digit position; Oshkosh uses an N for its gliders in this position.) If there is no new VIN from a manufacturer, the Auto Theft Unit at the Registry of Motor Vehicles will provide a new Massachusetts Assigned VIN, which contains the prefix MA and five digits.
Second – why does it matter? The combination of the newer model year and an older engine in a glider kit can cause problems during an emissions test. While there aren’t many glider kits in Massachusetts, you will need to know what to do when one does show up. One important part of the emission test that may be affected is the opacity cutpoint. The workstation’s software automatically determines the opacity cutpoint based on the vehicle’s model year, and not the engine year. If the cutpoint needs to be adjusted to the engine year, please contact the Hotline. They will coordinate making the cutpoint based on the appropriate engine year for the current and all future inspections.
September 17, 2018
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Military Vehicles
September 17, 2018
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Other?
September 17, 2018
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Questions, Suggestions, or Comments? Cathie Curtis
September 17, 2018
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